Detergent and brightening composition



United States Patent 2,730,503 DETERGENT AND BRIGHTENTNG COMPOSITIONSamuel Pressner, Richmond, Va.

No Drawing. Application December 29, 1952,

Serial No. 328,527

13 Claims. (Cl. 252152) The present invention relates to compositionseffective in cleansing and whitening or brightening textile fabrics,especially such fabrics composed of or containing natural or artificialnitrogenous fibres, and is particularly concerned with such compositionsin the form of liquid concentrates capable of ready application to suchfabrics from baths formed by simple aqueous solution of saidconcentrates.

Natural nitrogeneous fibres are exemplified oy wool and silk. Among thesynthetic nitrogeneous fibres there are included those formed as linearpolyamides, such as nylon. When fabrics comprising such fibres areexposed over a length of time to atmospheric conditions, the white areastherein take on a yellowish cast or discoloration which is not removedby the ordinary mild washing applied to these fabrics, nor can theofi-white appearance be safely removed without detriment to the fabricby more severe scouring and laundering operations such as are ordinarilyemployed in the treatment of cottons and linens.

Among the objects of the present invention, therefore, is that ofproviding a detergent composition for household use, that can be simplyand safely applied without detrimental effect to the fabric and which isparticularly effective in cleansing animal fibres or nylon goods,restoring to yellowed or off-white areas therein their originalwhiteness and brightness. The novel composition of the invention,moreover, is effective in whitening and brightening these materials whenapplied thereto at ordinary temperatures from dilute aqueous baths.

The composition which I have found suitable in accomplishing the objectsand attaining the desired results hereinabove set out comprises inessence the combination of surface-active material and a selectedspecial type of fluorescent compound. In the preferred embodiment thecomposition comprises essentially an aqueous liquid mixture of (1) ahereinafter specified detergent of the anion-active type; (2) aparticular optical bleach compound displaying bluish fluorescence indaylight or ultraviolet light and compatible with the specifieddetergent employed, retaining such fluorescent properties when appliedto textiles of the character described from an aqueous bath includingthe detergent; and (3) preferably also a non-ionic surface active agentof high molecular weight having wetting and dispersing properties foreffecting dissolution or colloidal dispersion of the specified bleachcompound in an aqueous concentrate or the detergent, and wherein theconcentrate can be highly diluted with water to desired extent whilemaintaining an apparently clear liquid free from physical separation ofany of the components.

Each of the three types of agents specified above must be particularlyselected to provide a stable composition having the statedcompatibilities and other properties required for obtaining the objectsand results described.

Thus, it has been observed, that many available detergents when appliedto animal fibres or nylon goods in admixture with various fluorescentcompounds stated to ICC have affinity for such materials, neverthelesstend to form spots or minute scattered areas of different lustre on thesurface of the fabric, with consequent impairment of desired uniformityin appearance.

The compositions of the present invention are effective not only inremoving the yellowish cast from the described fibrous materials butserve also to thoroughly cleanse these materials removing residues ofperspiration and other soiling substances therefrom.

The principal detergent employed in the composition is an anion-activealkyl aryl polyether sulfate or sodium salt thereof having in its saltform the general formula:

(I) R-( OCHzCHz) nOCH2CH2OSO3Na as for example a cumene polyglycol ethersulfate of the following structural formula:

The above and other compounds of this class are prepared by reacting analkyl phenol with the desired number of mols of ethylene oxide followedby sulfation of the terminal alcoholic hydroxy group. Particularlydesirable from the standpoint of their excellent detergent propertiesare those compounds formed from isohexyl to iso-octyl phenols with 4 to10 or more mols of the oxide and converted to sodium sulfatederivatives.

The non-ionic surface active agent, which also serves as a detergentauxiliary, is a high molecular weight polyethylene ether of an alkylatedphenol which may correspond to Formula I above in general except thatthe terminal hydroxy group occurs instead of the sulfate radical.Suitable compounds of this class are those soluble or readilydispersible in water, which requires that the number of ethoxy groups inthe chain be sufficiently large with respect to the size of the alkylradical attached to the phenolic residue. Typical useful compoundsinclude the reaction product of iso-octyl phenol With ten mols ofethylene oxide and compounds formed from this or higher alkylated phenolwith up to thirty or more mols of ethylene oxide. These water solublehigh molecular weight ether alcohols serve to maintain the fluorescentcompound well dispersed in aqueous media and promote level and uniformdistribution of that compound in the fabric to which the composition isapplied.

The fluorescent compound or optical bleach employed is a water-insolublecoumarin derivative, particularly a polyalkylamino coumarin containingethyl and/ or methyl groups as N-substituents, including diethyl-aminocoumarin, dimethyl-amino coumarin, 4 methyl- 7 diethylamino coumarin andother positional isomeric forms exhibiting blue to violet fluorescence,and particularly these compounds containing the amino group attached tothe benzene nucleus. These compounds have good levelling properties whenapplied to nylons and wool from dispersions including the above-namedhigh molecular weight alkyl phenol ether alcohols.

The composition is best packaged as a liquid concentrate which can bediluted with Water to any desired extent for providing the washing andtreating baths applied to the goods. Typical concentrates comprise:

Parts by weight Alkaryl polyether sulfate (Na salt) 20 Non-ionic alkarylpolyether alcohol 20 Alkyl-amino coumarin 1 Water to make up to 1 .7:sulfate-compound can be considerably reduced or even altogether omitted.The non-ionic alkaryl ether alcohol has in itself detergent propertiesand when used without other detergent may constitute about 20 percent ormore of the concentrate. The coumarin compound need he used incomparatively small amounts and in the proportions of from about 2 topercent by. weight of the non-ionic compound, larger quantities appearto have no added advantage. For use in cleansing and whitening wool ornylon fabrics, the concentrates described may be further diluted withpreferably lukewarm tapwater, employing in the order of about one-halfto an ounce of the concentrate per gallon of water.

In some instances it may be found desirable to package and market thecomposition in less concentrated form, in which case, it will beunderstood, the same proportions of the coumarin compound to non-ionicsurface active agent or to the mixture of that agent with sulfate, willbe retained as already set out above. Lesser quantities of dilutionwater should ordinarily be used, however, in making up the ultimatetreating and washing baths.

The following composition illustrates a preferred concentrate employingboth types of surface-active agents:

Parts by weight Iso-octyl phenoxy dodeca ethoxy ethanol Isobutyl phenoxypentaethoxy sulfate (Na salt) 20 4 methyl 7 diethylamino coumarin 1 to1.5 Wate to make up to 100 The above concentrate may be employed inabout the dilutions set out in the previous example; that is from aboutone-half to an ounce of the concentrate per gallon of water.

While the composition has been described with respect to its specialapplicability to nitrogenous fibres it will be appreciated that the samecan often be used to advantage on other fibres particularly those ofsynthetic origin.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the invention ashereinbefore set forth may be made without departing from the spiritthereof, and therefore only such limitations should be imposed as areindicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A detergent and whitening composition for materials composed ofnitrogenous fibers comprising an amino-coumarin compound selected fromthe group consisting of a di-lower-alkylamino-coumarin and adilower-alkylamino-coumarin having a lower-alkyl nuclear substituent,said amino group being attached to the benzene nucleus and the alkylgroups attached to the amino nitrogen being selected from the groupconsisting of methyl and ethyl, said coumarin compound exhibiting blueto violet fluorescence and being insoluble in water, dispersed in watercontaining a non-ionic, surface-active agent consisting essentially of apolyethylene glycol ether of an alkyl phenol wherein the number ofoxyethylene groups are so related to the size of the alkyl radical as toconfer water solubility to said compound, the aminocoumarin compoundbeing present in an amount of at 4 least about 2% by weight of saidnon-ionic, surface-active agent and sufiicient to produce fluorescenceon the material being treated, said non-ionic, surface-active agentbeing sufficient to maintain the amino-coumarin in clear solution and todistribute it substantially uniformly on the material being treated.

2. The composition of claim 1 in which the aminocoumarin is a4-lower-alkyl-7-di-lower-alkylamino-conmarin wherein the alkyl groupsattached to the amino nitrogen are selected from the group consisting ofmethyl and ethyl.

3. The composition of claim 2 in which the aminocouinarin is4-methyl-7-diethylamino-coumarin.

4. The composition of claim 2 in which the non-ionic, surface activeagent is one in which the alkyl group attachcd to the phenyl groupcontains at least about 8 carbon atoms and the amino-coumarin is presentin amount comprising about 2 to 10% by weight of the non-ionic,surface-active agent.

5. The composition of claim 4 in which the aminocournarin is4-methyl-7-diethylamino-coumarin.

6. The composition of claim 5 in which the non-ionic, surface-activeagent is iso-octylphenoxy-dodeca-ethoxyethanol.

7. The composition of claim 1 which contains in addi tion an anionicdetergent consisting essentially of a watersolublealkylphenoxy-polyethylene glycol ether sulfate salt.

8. The composition of claim 2 which contains in addi tion an anionicdetergent consisting essentially of a watersoluble alkylphencxypolyethylene glycol ether sulfate salt.

9. The composition of claim 3 which contains in addition an anionicdetergent consisting essentially of a watersolublealkylphenoXy-polyethylene glycol ether sulfate salt.

10. The composition of claim 4 which contains in addition an anionicdetergent consisting essentially of a water-solublealkylphenoxy-polyethylene glycol ether sulfate salt.

11. The composition of claim 5 which contains in addition an anionicdetergent consisting essentially of a water-solublealkylphenoxy-polyethylene glycol ether sulfate salt.

12. The composition of claim 11 in which the nonionic, surface-activeagent and the anionic detergent are present in approximately equalamounts.

13. The composition of claim 6 which contains in addition an anionicdetergent consisting essentially of the sodium salt ofisobutylphenoXy-penta-ethoxy-sulfate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,213,477 Steindorff Sept. 3, 1940 2,341,009 Axelrad Feb. 8, 19442,610,152 Ackermann Sept. 9, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 661,023 Great BritainNov. 14, 1951

1. A DETERGENT AND WHITENING COMPOSITION FOR MATERIALS COMPOSED OFNITROGENOUS FIBERS COMPRISING AN AMINO-COUMARIN COMPOUND SELECTED FROMTHE GROUP CONSISTING OF A DI-LOWER-ALKYLAMINO-COUMARIN AND ADILOWER-ALKYLAMINO-COUMARIN HAVING A LOWER-ALKYL NUCLEAR SUBSTITUENT,SAID AMINO GROUP BEING ATTACHED TO THE BENZENE NUCLEUS AND THE ALKYLGROUPS ATTACHED TO THE AMINO NITROGEN BEING SELECTED FROM THE GROUPCONSISTING OF METHYL AND ETHYL, SAID COUMARIN COMPOUND EXHIBITING BLUETO VIOLET FLUORESCENCE AND BEING INSOLUBLE IN WATER, DISPERSED IN WATERCONTAINING A NON-IONIC, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF APOLYETHYLENE GLYCOL ETHER OF AN ALKYL PHENOL WHEREIN THE NUMBER OFOXYETHYLENE GROUPS ARE SO RELATED TO THE SIZE OF THE ALKYL RADICAL AS TOCONFER WATE SOLUBILITY TO SAID COMPOUND, THE AMINOCOUMARINE COMPOUNDBEING PRESENT IN AN AMOUNT OF AT LEAST ABOUT 2% BY WEIGHT OF SAIDNON-IONIC, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT AND SUFFICIENT TO PRODUCE FLUORESCENCEON THE MATERIAL BEING TREATED, SAID NON-IONIC, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENTBEING SUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN THE AMINO-COUMARIN IN CLEAR SOLUTION AND TODISTRIBUTE IT SUBSTNATIALLY UNIFORMLY ON THE MATERIAL BEING TREATED.